


do not fear the water

by kinpika



Series: BLUE [13]
Category: Fallen Hero Series - Malin Rydén, Fallen Hero: Rebirth (Video Game)
Genre: Almost Drowning, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Liberties taken with Ortega's mods, M/M, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-26
Updated: 2019-07-26
Packaged: 2020-07-20 08:44:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19989325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kinpika/pseuds/kinpika
Summary: Keep going. Don’t want to stop and admit defeat. Never been in your nature, right, Daniel? To back down from a fight. He knew you best, of course. Always picking up little things you thought you had hidden, or didn’t know yourself. Daniel would bounce back with a smile and a laugh, brush your hair out your eyes and,And?





	do not fear the water

Honestly, you hadn’t meant to dive. Straight in, wishing your jets to go harder. Faster. Reaching out and brushing his fingers, but you can’t gain purchase. Slip, fall.

Watch how he crashed into the water, eyes closed, at peace. Not like this. No, no, you didn’t mean for this. And there’s a bite, in the back of your mind, willing you to go, get out. Forget this ever happened, _forget him_.

Bite your lip, hope the armour will hold. Water laps around as you reach, hand first, head, body. You hate the weight, but the bubbles are disappearing faster. So you push, push the voice away, push into the water. Even as it grabs at you, pulling you deeper.

The bubbles remind you of the tank. Watching the light go behind you, warmth leave. How fast was he sinking? How far were you willing to go? But you don’t need to answer that, because you knew.

 _All the way_ , if that’s what it would take.

Deeper. Pressure sensors on your armour blaring at you. Why were you doing this? You weren’t equipped for this, not at all. But he’s there, just out of your reach once more. Face at peace, and you latch on. Stop the motion and kick yourself into high gear up. Back towards the light. Don’t look down, Logan, don’t look down. Like the water is eating at your armour, trying to worm its way in. Like how it used to be.

Herald — no, _Daniel_ — is heavier than he looks. You don’t remember him like this, pale in the light that barely breaks through. He looks. He _looks_. Can’t finish that sentence. It isn’t too late, surely not. Have to keep going, break the surface and like a rocket, you’re out, aim for the sand.

Not the only person out here. Doesn’t matter. Can’t drop and run, can’t pull your hands away. Set him on his back and there’s no air. A crowd hangs at the top of the hill, fear penetrating your shields. You need them to leave, let you focus. Let you cry.

“Come on, Danny. **Come on**.”

Compressions to his chest. Reach out, brush his mind. Hear the sleep, and oh, fuck, it scares you. Absolutely terrifies you that _you did this_. This might be it. You had joked you would be the end of him, when the light was soft and the covers were warm. But you hadn’t. You didn’t. Want this. Hadn’t expected it to end, right here.

You don’t think you can live with that.

Pop the clasps and throw the helmet to the side. Mouth to mouth. Try not to scream, as you push air in. Keep up the pumps to his chest. Daniel was so _cold_ to the touch, even through your gloves. Or were you imaging that too?

Something in your mind tells you his lips are. How they’re blue. “Danny, please, I’m so sorry, I didn’t—“

He shouldn’t have interrupted. Got caught in the crossfire. It was just supposed to be you, and that masked freak who now lay in pieces for this. You didn’t mean for—

Keep going. Don’t want to stop and admit defeat. Never been in your nature, right, Daniel? To back down from a fight. He knew you best, of course. Always picking up little things you thought you had hidden, or didn’t know yourself. Daniel would bounce back with a smile and a laugh, brush your hair out your eyes and,

And?

“Logan, move.”

Hands pushed away. You look up, time slowing to a crawl, and see, “Ricardo?”

Flicks his fingers out. And, the rational part of you, the only logical part left, doesn’t hesitate to speak up then. To avoid the confusion and accusatory look. “You’ll hurt him.”

“No more than you have.”

Catch his wrist, just before he gets too close. Water. “It’s not like that time with me.”

And you remember the hiding. How he brought you back to life with one small current. This was different. You weren’t just Sidestep and Charge anymore. Not old times, sneaking out of the state to follow a lead. It’s you, Logan, Ricardo, and Daniel. _Daniel_ , whose chest you hadn’t stop pushing against yet.

“I switched off.”

A part of you wants to believe him. Maybe you’re looking for that miracle. Watch how he leans down, to where you had part Daniel’s lips, and breathes in. Full and easy, like he’d done this a dozen times before. Since you. Of course you expected that, seven years was a long time. And Ricardo places his hands where yours once were, another breath.

The slightest jolt. Daniel surges, falls back down. One more, and he’s eyes wide, coughing to the side. Oh. You blink furiously, hand under his head, holding him up as he’s encouraged onto his side. Thank god. Look up, at Ricardo.

You don’t see Ortega, Charge, the former Marshal. Your apparent enemy. No, now you see him, Ricardo, and how he buries his face in his hands, a deep heave. It worked. It worked and Daniel grips your hand, breathing deep. Brush his mind, keep him calm. I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry.

Say it, out loud. “Danny, I’m so sorry.”

Weak smile for an answer, and you almost let yourself get caught up in him. Except Ricardo reaches out, and his hand is on your arm. There’s a look you don’t think you’d ever understand. “You didn’t have to save him.”

Swallowing hard, you hold his stare. “Of course I did.” Surely he didn’t think otherwise? “I’d do the same for you.”

Ricardo’s hand slides up, and, you have to stop him. Before he can push hair out of your face. “Water…” drag the word out, careful now.

But it doesn’t stop him. Not as he leans his forehead against yours. Closes his eyes. “Thank you,” a whisper. Just for you. Even as Daniel slowly pushes himself up, just a little more. You help him up, hand against his back.

“I’m sorry,” say it again. “I’m so, so sorry.” Can’t stop repeating it, even as Daniel leans against the two of you.

Arm around you. No words, even as you keep whispering it, over and over. Fill the space, maybe they will understand. Forgive you. One day, at least, when you were deserving of it. But now the cold was filling in between the cracks of your suit, and Daniel shivered beside you. And Ricardo?

Thanks you.


End file.
